Here is the story of our week-long family holiday in Ibiza and Formentera. We loved it! We recommend these islands during the autumn half-term: unlike in summer, there were few visitors, mainly families, and we could really enjoy the beaches because both the air and sea temperatures were 23°C. Of course, the weather is always unpredictable, but the Mediterranean has never disappointed us at this time of year. The landscapes were wonderfully green and wild.
I know many people think of Ibiza only as a party island, but that is far too simplistic. It is a large island with something for everyone. Some of its famous clubs are around Sant Antoni, although Ibiza’s nightlife is not confined to that town. Elsewhere on the island, you will find plenty of very peaceful places. As is often the case in the Mediterranean, avoid mid-July to the end of August if you want to escape the crowds. Papa Voyage often visited Ibiza and its little sister Formentera in his youth, with his parents or friends, and never saw so much as a DJ :-). In short, Ibiza has everything you need for a wonderful holiday with children!
Ibiza with kids: the beaches
I will start with the beaches we enjoyed. They were particularly accessible because, as you may know, Ticoeur had a broken ankle. His crutches led us to choose beaches close to car parks. Fortunately, we were travelling out of season, as these easy-to-reach beaches are very popular in summer. Here are our most child-friendly beaches:
Cala d’Hort
This beach lies in southern Ibiza, and we particularly loved the view of the huge rock!
Portinatx beach
Ticoeur and Titpuce’s favourite! It is in the north of the island. Nearby, we had excellent fish and squid for lunch at a small family restaurant. The setting is not particularly appealing, but the warm welcome, good food and low prices make it worthwhile: Don Quijote.
Benirràs beach
A famous beach renowned for its sunset. It really is an ideal place to enjoy the last rays of the day. Behind the beach, the landscape is very green and undeveloped, giving it a particularly wild feel. In summer, members of the island’s hippy community gather here and dance to drums at sunset. During our off-season visit, there were only a few drummers and about twenty people on the beach, which gave us the perfect bohemian, musical moment without the crowds. For dinner, we had very good pizzas at La Pizzeria on the beach.
Cala Comte
On the west coast. It was a little busier than the previous beaches and is probably one of the most popular with visitors. The setting is magnificent and it is another perfect sunset spot.
Cala Salada and Cala Saladeta
Cala Salada, on the west coast, is a pretty wild beach very close to the car park. My absolute favourite in Ibiza, however, was its little sister, Cala Saladeta, a cove reached after 10 to 15 minutes of climbing up and down. Cala Saladeta is not suitable for pushchairs or crutches, but otherwise the route is not too difficult and is absolutely worthwhile.
Our take on Ibiza’s beaches
At every beach, the sand was very fine and the sea crystal clear, so we could easily see lots of small fish, especially sea bream. Ticoeur and Titpuce love snorkelling and were delighted. I also liked the style of the fishermen’s huts on all these beaches:
When I say these beaches are accessible, I really mean it: they work well for pushchairs, children or young people with an injury like Ticoeur, because there are often small wooden walkways between the car park and the beach (see the photo below). We were lucky, as we did not yet know that Ticoeur would be on crutches when we booked our Ibiza holiday!
There are, of course, many other beaches and coves in Ibiza. I do not know whether we saw the most beautiful ones, but we certainly loved them and will return to discover more!
Watch out for jellyfish!
You will notice that we did not swim at beaches on the island’s east coast, because there were jellyfish all along that coast during our stay. More specifically, they were Pelagia noctiluca. Their stings are not usually dangerous, but they can be very painful. If you are stung, seek local first-aid advice; seawater rather than fresh water is generally recommended for rinsing. On the east coast, we visited the large beach at Cala de Sant Vicent but did not swim. Without the jellyfish, this broad beach is very suitable for families. Jellyfish seem to arrive in waves, so check the local situation when you arrive.
Ibiza, a green and wild island:
I think many people are surprised by just how green, hilly and natural Ibiza is. That is precisely why we liked it so much!
We also stopped at the Ses Portes del Cel viewpoint on the west coast.
As you cross the hills, you will pass small white villages such as Santa Gertrudis, Santa Agnès de Corona, Sant Joan and Sant Miquel. They are very quiet during the autumn half-term; in summer, you will find attractive local markets there.
In Santa Gertrudis, we enjoyed a glass of wine and a few slices of Iberian ham at Bar Costa.
After crossing the hills, we reached Santa Eulària, where we admired the church of Puig de Missa, before continuing to Es Canar beach for a simple, inexpensive canteen-style lunch at Solimar.
Ibiza Town
In Ibiza Town, called Eivissa in Catalan, the old centre is the most charming part. It is worth exploring Dalt Vila, the upper part of the old town inside the fortress, before walking back down to enjoy the pretty squares at the foot of the citadel. Half a day is enough. After wandering through the maze of lanes, we recommend lunch at El Zaguán, an authentic tapas bar serving a wide choice of hot and cold pintxos – small bites served on sticks, with the bill based on the number of sticks. The children found this fun! It reminded us of our family holiday in Barcelona.
Our accommodation
We stayed above the coast in the north-west near Sant Miquel de Balansat. This house is not currently available for holiday rentals (in 2026). Today we would probably choose a traditional finca like the agroturismo Can Fuster.
Two nights on Formentera
We had booked two nights on Formentera to discover this small island. We loved the famous Ses Illetes beach and its magnificent strip of sand. In the photo, everyone is on the left because there were jellyfish on the right, eastern side – but none on the other side, thankfully!
Formentera has many striking giant fig trees:
We enjoyed lunch at the kiosk on Migjorn beach. Do not be in a hurry – but with a setting like this, why would you be? 😉
We also swam at Ses Platgetes by Es Caló. It is very pretty and feels a little like a paddling pool, so I recommend it for families with very young children.
We especially enjoyed our two days on Formentera because our accommodation was superb: surrounded by nature, with an incredible view over the sea and a perfect sunset spot.
I am sharing the address of this Airbnb, but it will not suit everyone: the El Pilar house is not connected to mains water or electricity. Rainwater is provided for washing and cooking, so it must be used sparingly and is not drinkable; our hosts supplied a container of drinking water for our stay. Electricity comes from solar power and is therefore also limited. But if, like us, you enjoy wild, natural places, this is a charming address with lovely hosts. Check the current listing and facilities before booking.
PS: I have not shared our Ibiza address because it was fine but nothing special, apart from the view. I can tell you that it was in the north-west, which is a beautiful part of the island. I would favour the north over the south.
Practical information for an Ibiza holiday
How to get there: the flight from Paris takes about two hours.
Car hire: at the time of our trip, we found rentals from €50 per week – yes, per week! We chose one costing €100 per week because we needed a little more room for Ticoeur’s leg. These historical prices are unlikely to reflect current rates. I do not like recommending individual hire companies because prices change constantly. We compare offers on a comparison website, such as DiscoverCars, and choose the best value available at the time.
Restaurants in Ibiza: of all the Balearic Islands, Ibiza is where we saw the largest number of fashionable and rather expensive restaurants. At first, we thought we would not find the simple, friendly little places we like, but they do exist – you just have to look ;-). All our good-value addresses are included in this article. If ultra-stylish, chic restaurants are your thing, however, you will be spoilt for choice! I like attractive interiors, but sometimes worried that the food might not live up to the price. Do share your favourite addresses in the comments.
Ferries between Ibiza and Formentera: we travelled with Trasmapi. Our crossing took 45 minutes, although current fast services may take around 30 minutes. Some ferries carry foot passengers only, while others also carry vehicles. Vehicle access to Formentera is regulated during the summer, so check the current dates and obtain any required authorisation before travelling. Also make sure your car-hire company permits you to take the vehicle to Formentera. Otherwise, you can hire a vehicle on the island. Many visitors instead take a day trip from Ibiza by catamaran or motorboat. We will try that next time!
Scuba diving in Ibiza:
That was our original plan. We had given Ticoeur a ‘voucher for a diving course’ for his birthday, but his accident meant that we could not do it. Ibiza has attractive underwater scenery and very clear water, making it well suited to discovering scuba diving. We will save it for another time! Do recommend any diving centres in Ibiza.
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To discover more of the Balearic Islands, read about our week in Menorca with kids and our trip to Mallorca with kids.
Would you like to visit Ibiza with your family outside the summer season?
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